4 February 2009
Cabinet held its ordinary meeting this morning, 4 February 2009 in Cape
Town.
The meeting discussed the anti-Semitic statement made by Ms Fatima Hajaig,
the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs at a Palestinian solidarity rally which
was held in Lenasia on 14 January 2009.
Cabinet expressed concern about the statement as it was contrary to the
stated policies of this government regarding anti-Semitic sentiments.
Subsequent to the Cabinet meeting, the President held discussions with the
Deputy Minister to discuss her statement. The Deputy Minister expressed her
deep regret to the President for making the statement. She accepted that the
comments were contrary to stated government policy. She subsequently apologised
unreservedly and unequivocally for the comments and agreed to withdraw them
unconditionally.
Further, she assured the President that she does not harbour any
anti-Semitic feelings or views and that in her statement issued yesterday, she
had stated that 'she condemns, without equivocation, all forms of racism
including anti-Semitism in all its manifestations'. The President has accepted
her withdrawal of the comments and her unqualified apology and trusts that the
matter has been concluded satisfactorily.
The 8th Annual Report of the Commission for Employment Equity was noted.
This report reflects, inter alia, the slow progress in the implementation of
the Employment Equity Act by the designated employers; the gross
under-representation of the designated groups that still exist in the labour
market, particularly that of African and coloured women and people with
disabilities; the drop of the black group in the professionally qualified and
middle management level. The meeting resolved that the commission should
conduct research and formulate strategies to address these challenges in the
various industries.
The following initiatives from the Department of Transport (DoT) were
approved: The Taxi Subsidy Framework and Funding Strategy for the taxi
recapitalisation programme (TRP); the strategy for lifting of the moratorium
and turnaround strategy for operating licensing boards; the regulatory
framework for the taxi industry and the taxi recapitalisation project policy.
The Department of Transport will hold consultative discussions with the
relevant stakeholders on these documents before they are finalised.
The establishment of the Co-operatives Banks Development Agency was
approved.
The proposed design changes for various coins were approved. The new designs
will be gazetted shortly.
The draft National Framework for Implementation of Ward Funding Model was
approved and will be published for public comment before it is finalised.
The Division of Revenue Bill was noted and approved and will be tabled in
Parliament when the Minister of Finance delivers the Budget Speech on 11
February 2009.
The updated child labour programme of action was approved
The following appointments were approved:
* Mr SIS Ntombela was appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) in the
Department of Agriculture (DoA).
* Ms P Mabasa was appointed as the Executive Director of the Board of Directors
of the South African Special Risk Insurance Association (SASRIA). The
appointment will be effective from 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2011.
* Ms S Naidoo was appointed as the Managing Director of the newly established
Co-operative Banks Development Agency.
* Mr A Sithole and Ms H Wilton were appointed as the Chairperson and Deputy
Chairperson (respectively) of the Financial Services Board (FSB) for a three
year period.
Enquiries
Themba Maseko
Cell: 083 645 0810
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
4 February 2009
